We were lucky to catch up with Eric Dobbs recently and have shared our conversation below.

Eric, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.

Service to community is something that was instilled in me during my career in the United States Navy. One of our first charity projects was our partnership with Spike’s K9 Fund. I met the founder of Spike’s Jimmy Hatch while I was still in the Navy. Jimmy Hatch was critically wounded while serving in Afghanistan. When he returned to the US, he had to relearn how to walk again. Unable to continue his career as a Navy SEAL, he dedicated his life to helping unsung heroes, working K9s that stand the watch to protect humans. “Spike’s Roast” has since become a mainstay coffee. To date, we have raised over $18k to support working dogs.

In 2022 and 2023 we organized a fundraiser for a coffee roaster in Kyiv, Ukraine. We raised over $15k to help our friends at One Love Coffee keep their doors open. See link below for more information

https://www.baristamagazine.com/from-san-diego-to-kyiv-seven-seas-foundation-lifts-up-one-love/

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Seven Seas Roasting Co. is veteran owned and family operated. Seven Seas Coffee Roasting was born from Eric Dobbs’, founder and visionary, dream that we can change how coffee is conceived and business is run. Nothing is transactional with Eric, everything is genuine, authentic, and thoroughly thought out. Together with his wife, Sasha, their daughter Vivian, several cousins, and employees who have become family, they exemplify new ways of running business that anchor values, deepen connections, and ensure each person from planting a coffee seed to serving your cup is cared for and honored!

Seven Seas was never about competing with big names like Starbucks, we completely revolutionized how anyone relates to their coffee. We work directly with our farmers, we train our staff and encourage them to compete in barista and roasting competitions, we do whatever we can to support anyone who our business comes into contact with.

Since our inception as a coffee roasting company in 2017, we have successfully incorporated giving, in ways that others would consider charity. It is challenging for us to even consider what we do as charity – because that feels so disconnected. We are deeply connected with each project we embark on. Those on our path become family.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

In 2017, we launched Seven Seas in a tent in a local farmers market. By the end of 2017 we were serving 6 farmers markets every week.

As of 2024 we now have 4 brick and mortar locations and we currently serve 3 weekly farmers markets with our Coffee Truck, Mobile Unit 7.

Farmers Markets are an excellent way to test your business idea and receive direct feedback from potential customers.

Now we are in the largest markets in San Diego, we serve Little Italy every Saturday which attracts over 20,000 people every week.

The Farmers Markets have been an excellent way for us to maintain visibility within the community and engage with new customers. While 80% of our customers visiting our shops are return customers, in the farmers markets, 90% of the customers we serve are first timers!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

We have consistently made choices both in the products and community that made sense morally even if they challenged us fiscally.

Coffee shouldn’t just BE better, it should DO better

We believe the coffee experience is our responsibility from plant to portafilter.
Coffee is our craft. It drives us and inspires us. Our passion for specialty coffee is only paralleled by our love for doing good in the community.

Seven Seas Roasting Co. believes quality can be a lever for change. In 2017, we set out to source the best coffees in the world and dedicated ourselves to maintain transparent, quality-based relationships with our farmers, employees and the communities we live in along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: sevenseasroasting.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/7seasroasting
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/7SeasRoasting
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sevenseasroastingco.4612
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/seven-seas-roasting-san-diego-3